Letters to the editor, Jan. 24

The following are sections of the song “Abraham, Martin and John” written by Richard Hollar and sung by Dion DiMucci. “Has anybody here seen my old friend Martin, can you tell me where he’s gone? He freed a lotta people, but it seems the good die young. ….Didn’t you love the things they stood for? Didn’t they try to find some good for you and me?”

The song honors Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr. and John Kennedy.
Let’s honor them on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and beyond by befriending good people that don’t look, live or worship the way you or I do. Let’s work towards peace and understanding, please. Like my dear mom used to say to me, “Vin, go talk to him or her.”

VINCENT TANGO

Montclair

Missing potato truck

I was born and raised in Montclair and graduated from Montclair High School a couple years ago. In having a nostalgic conversation about high school with my best friend we were talking about the potato truck which was a staple in our high school lunch rotation.
If I remember correctly the truck was called Hunger Construction and they served some of the most innovated to-go lunches for less than $10.

We loved when the truck would park by the high school and we would rush out of class excitedly so we could be first in line.

We are wondering what happened to this pillar in our community its missing. We have to support small businesses; that’s one of the best parts of living in Montclair. All the different food experiences we are able to have living in this wonderful town. When living in Montclair your pallet can be enhanced for all the corners of the world.

This food truck was part of the joy of our teenage years and I would just love to be able to relive that excited yummy feeling.

I am writing this letter to the editor to ask what happened to my beloved potato truck, where can I get a yummy stuffed potato and if not where in the world can I get something similar?

ADIA WILSON

Montclair

Facing a real national security crisis

After a month-long shutdown of fully one quarter of our government, nearly a million government workers of all types, and their families, are enduring totally unnecessary suffering: financial, health care, housing, emotional. For what?

Airport security has become weakened as TSA officers and supervisors work without pay for a month and have had to resort to sickouts or seeking other jobs. Air traffic controllers, who have one of the most demanding, stressful and life-saving jobs in the world, are working without pay for a month, undergoing added stress and worry to them and their families, and can lead to less-safe flying. Border security at sea is weakened as our Coast Guard members, who interdict drug shipments, rescue people, and generally guard our coastlines from all forms of threats, are working without pay.

Government departments that deal with cybersecurity are furloughed or working without pay for a month.

In the name of protecting the US from a mythical “invasion” by desperately poor people from small towns and villages in Central America, and from an influx of drugs from Mexico, most of which actually come by trucks, boats or small planes, NOT carried by people on foot, from “crime” of all kinds (most of which is committed by US citizens), we have been plunged into a true national security crisis on all levels.

How much longer can we the people, and our Congressional representatives allow such a travesty to continue? What will it take to end it? Hopefully, it will not take a disaster. If TSA staff go out on strike and shut down airports, I hope that we will be out there to support them.